Crumb is one of those bands that plays music that you had no idea you absolutely needed in your life. The New York-via-Boston band melds ‘60s psych, loose jazz, and freeform indie rock into a soothing pop amalgamation, and an inevitably unexpected sound.
With just two EPs to their name, 2016’s self-titled and 2017's Locket, the quartet—singer and guitarist Lila Ramani, bassist Jesse Brotter, keyboardist-saxophonist Brian Aronow, and drummer Jonathan Gilad—sound as if they've been doing this for years. While some moments on tracks like "Locket," evoke the spacey psych-pop of bands like Broadcast and Melody's Echo Chamber, Crumb's swirling instrumentation is undeniably unique. They use Tame Impala-like tricks and craft 60s-leaning psychedelics that accentuate Ramani's beautifully mesmerizing voice, which flits between a friendly coyness and an entrancing coo.
Crumb released a video for the title-track of their critically acclaimed Locket EP, which is a psychedelic visual treat. The Locket EP and Crumb's debut self-titled EP are both available now on one LP via the band's website.